Fire-extinguisher



F. J. H. RUSTIGE.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

y, APPLICATION FILED FEB. Io, 1914.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

I M ,IDVQ

ATTORNEY FRANS JOHAN HENRIK RUSTIGE, 0F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent, Patented 3131-. 30, 192()n Applicationled February 10, 1914. Serial No. 817,772.

beforey flowing out into the room or chamber where its extinguishingaction shall be performed. It has been found, however, in experimentswith such apparatus, that the large absorption of heat which alwaysaccompanies the vaporization often cools the carbonio acid itself andsurrounding con-` duits suiiiciently to cause the latter, which aregenerally rather narrow, to be obstructed by solid carbonio acid wherebykthe action of the apparatus is interrupted.

According to the present invention, therefore, the carbonio acid isv ledin a liquid state from the receptacle or receptacles all throughthe pipeconduits or system to the mouths thereof so as to iiow out into therooml or chamber surrounding the fire in a liquid state and be vaporizedin said room or chamber. l

The invention also comprises an arrangement for making this manner ofoperation possible, said arrangement consisting in that the outlet pipefrom the receptacle or re- Ceptacles for the carbonio acid leads fromtheir bottom or the neighborhood thereof, and that the continuation ofsaid pipe extends practically continuously unto the mouths of the pipesystem without any vaporizing device being inserted anywhere therein.Such a vaporizing device could for instance consist of a place where thepressure in the conduit would sink below a certain limit. For preventingsuch sinking there should not be any changes in the cross sectionalarea'of the conduit which exceed a predetermined limit. Finally theinvention comprises automatic controlling means for enabling the entirepipe conduit or connecting system for leading the carbonio acid to theplace of its action to be normally kept only under a small pressuredetermined by a reducing valve, while said conduit, when the apparatusis put into action, is brought into direct communication with thecarbonic acid-receptacle where of course -avconsiderably higher pressureprevails. Thevaction of this device is based upon the circumstance thatthe pressure in the conduit between the reducing valve and the outlet,whichjnormally is kept at a oertain value determined by said valve,instantaneously sinks, when the.y apparatus is put into action, onaccount of the comparatively low pressure due to the action of thereducing valve, until near the atmospheric* pressure, which decrease Aofpressure can be utilized for releasing a controlling device.

A form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich,

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section and showing the piping systembroken away;

Fig. 2 is an end view of themechanism foncontrolling the device;

Y Fig. 3 fis a detail, sectional View taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1; an

Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section through the controlling valve and themechanism for operating the same, said mechanism being shown partlybroken away.

The receptacle 1 for carbonio acid is provided with an outlet pipe .2reaching to, or nearly to, its bottom and connected by means of a mainvalve 3 to a branch piece 4C. From the latter, a conduit goes to thehigh pressure side of a reduction valve 5, the low pressure side ofwhich is in connection with the fire extinguishing pipe system 6 withthe sprinklers 7 through a non-return or check valve 8, and alsopreferably with a manometer 9 "the direction of flow through the valve 8being indicated by the larrow in Fig. 1. The valves 3, 5 and 8 may be ofany well-known form suitable for the purpose, a conventional showingthereof being deemed sufficient herein. Another conduit from the branchpipe l is by a valve 10 directly connected to the pipe system.

The valve 10 is normally closed, but suitable mechanism is provided foropening such valve automatically whenever the pressure in the4 pipesystem is suiiiciently. reduced. In the present. instance, the stem ofthe valve l,10,is shown swiveled in what may be'termed an auxiliary stem16,.which is provided with a head portion exteriorly threaded andadapted to coperate with the' interior threads of a housing member 17.secured to the casing of the valve 10. The

l rear' portion of the member 16 is" preferably squared'anl adapted toslide in a similarl formed longitudinalp ening in a stub sha t 15, which1s mounte for rotation in the end walls of a cylindrical housing1.8,.w1thin which is carried a` band spring 11, one

end of the spring being secured to the", side wall of the housing 18While the opposite end of the spring is secured to the-gs'tub' shaft orpintle 15 by means of a pinpasu's-uing through a transverse opening.irrsaldl shaft 15, said opening being so formed'f'that when the springis released it is permitted?, to run idle for a short distance"andfthus, acquire a certain amount of speed, orfpmo mentum before itrotates the stub shaft' 15,.

.the formation of this transverse opening being clearly illustrated inFig. l3. ,Theextreme rear end of the shaft 15 is preferably squared andis provided outside of the' spring housing with a ratchet disk adaptedto coperate with a latch 12 pivoted on the housing for retaining thisspring wound. Above the spring housing 18 1s mounted a second housing20, which-is .in` two parts having clamped between them-aflexiblediaphragm 13, centrally of which. is secured a pin 13 which projectsthrough ,y an opening in the rear end of the casing sai latch isretained in position to lock th-effH Around the` pin 13, between thediaphragm 13a and the. end of the housing 20 is placed a coil spring' 21adapted to exert pressure on `the r`dia-f,` phragm to normally withdrawthe p.in ;.1"3 4out of the path of the latch 12.V The"hou-s"-V ing 20,at the opposite side ofthe diaphragm is 1n communication, by means of ayconduitl or pipe 14, with the low pressure-side ofthe v y y adaptedtoperinit'lt-h'e carb'onic acid to esinto the path of the latch 12,whereby ratchet disk against rotation.

pressure reducing valve. 'v A The operation of the apparat-us islasfol-xv lows: Normally the valve'jis open', andthe valve 10 closed, asstated. In the pipe sys-A tem there prevails a pressuredetermined by thereducing valve, for instance l1.5 atmospheres above atmospheric pressurewhich can be read on the manometer i). one of the sprinklers 7 is openedby `a fire in its neighborhood` the gaseous carbonio acid present in thepipe system will readily 'y escape through the wide opening of the;lsprinkler, while the reducing valve which.. has a narrow passage cannotsupply fresh carbonic acid with the-'same speed, inspite of thehighlpressure on its high pressure..

If then l teiniandgout through the open sprinkler valve. The carbonioIacid then escapes in a liquid state because it passes from the bot-These thereacid. The action also will be very elicient on-ja'ccount ofthe large quantity escaping per unit of time, and the Aabsorption ofheat takes4 place in the room" surrounding the -re,fso that thetemperature therein is materially lowered, which circumstance assists inchoking the fire. As soon as the valvel l-Ouis" opened, the non-returnvalve 8 closes automatically ands-protects the more delicate partsoftheapparatus, viz. the manometer 9 and the low pressure members of thereductionv valve 5 from injury by the high ples'sure'of-the escapingliquid.

, The' device for openingthe valve 10 under the vinfluence of thesinking of pressure A-in the sprinkler conduit or pipe system 6 -fromnear the bottom of the receptacle and adapted to permit t-he carbonioacid to e:- cape therethrough, and a pipe system leadiiigtlierefromgsaidpipe system having substantiallyfuniform passage dimension.

{2.-In a fire extinguishing apparatus, a receptacle'fforcontainingcarbonicacid in the -liquid.. istnite, anl outlet pipe.leading' thorefromfnearthe bottom of the receptacle andcape,therethrough,` a p ipej'system'` leading therefrom, saidpipe"'syi-item having-1v substantially uniform passage dimension anddischargeoutlets, and means normally preventing the discharge oftheliquid. l

3. In'a fire extinguishing apparatus, a receptacl'eforliquid carbonioacid,l a system. of pipes provided with discharge openings permanentlyconnected to the said receptacle at la point-adjacent to the bottom ofthe same, a ressure reducing vvalve provided "in this pipe connection.adirect communication between said systemofpipes and said receptacle,4and a valve normally closing the said directcommunication and beingcapable of being operated by changes in the pressure on the low pressureside of the reducing valve. -f

4. A fire extinguishing apparatus, comprising a receptacle `for carbonioacid, an outlet vpipe leading therefronrnear its bottom, a pipe systemof substantially uniform carrying capacity and lia-ving dischargesprinklers, a reduction valve situated in said sysstate withoutvapor-izing before itsA discharge. v 1- 5. A fire extinguishingapparatus, "comprising a container for carbonio; acid in a liquid state,a valve controlled outlet therefor, a pipe system leading therefrom,areduction valve in said pipe system to permit the escape of liquid underreducedv pressure, a Valve controlled connection-between said valvedoutlet and the pipe .system beyond said reduction valve, andmeansassociated with the pipe system beyond the i'eduction valvetooperate the second named valve vto permit the discharge of -said liquidunder high pressure independent of the duction valve.

6. A fire extinguisherincluding a receptacleadapted to contain carbonioacid in a liquid state, an outlet therefor leading from the bottomthereof, an extinguishing conduit in communication with said outlet,lire.

extinguishers carried thereby, a reduction valve in said conduit to'permit the discharge of vthe liquid underl lovs7 pressure, means fordetermining said low lpressure discharge, meansjin said' conduit forpreventing back pressure on said last-mentioned means and thereductionvalve, 'and means,y

associated with the conduit for discharging the liquid under high`pressure independent` of the reduction valve,s'aid liquid under: highpressure being prevented'-from vesclPv ing to the low pressuredetermining means' and reducing valve.l

7 In a re extinguishing apparatus, a receptacle for liquid carbonioacid, a lsystem of pipes, provided with discharge openings permanentlyconnected to the'said receptacle at a point adjacent to the bottom ofthe same, a pressure reducing valve provided in this pipe connection, adirect communication between said system of pipes and .said receptacle,a valve normally clo'sing the said direct communication, said valvehaving a spring tending to open it, a latch normally locking saidspring, and a diaphragm in direct communication With the loW pressureside of the reducing valve and acting to release said latch. l f

8. A fire extinguisher includingl a container for liquid carbonio acid,an extinguishing conduit having valved connection-With said containerand provided with discharge openings, means to normally prevent theescape of liquid therefrom but sure, and means operable by "the changeof pressure on the'loiv side ofA said last-mentioned Vmeans when saidliirst-mentio'ned means are opened to operate the ,valve of theextinguishing conduit for permitting the direct discharge, of liquidtherethrough .under high pressure. Y

9. A fire vextinguishing apparatus com-v "p'rising a',receptacleadaptedto contain an vextinguishing fluid such asv carbonio acid and having anoutlet, a pipe systemconnected with kthe outlet and provided withVsprinklers"adapted-to open under the action of heat-,a reducing valvein said pipe system to permit the discharge of the liquidA'underpreduced pressure, ka connection betweenthe outlet at thehighpressure side of the valve and said pipe system at the loW pressureside of said valve, a valve controlling the escape of the iuid throughsaidconnection direct to the sprinkler, spring means normally tending toopen said valve, means` :acting against said spring to hold said valveclosed and pressure operated means connected With the pipe system at thelow pressure side of the reducing valve to release said holdingmeans'upon the reduction of the pressure by the opening of thesprinklers to permit the direct discharge of the liquid'in anunvaporized state.

f1.0. A lire extinguishing apparatus, comprisingva receptacle adapted tocontain an extinguishing fluid such as carbonio acid,

.an outlet therefor, a 'pipe system provided with sprinklers vadapted toopen under the ,action ofheat, a reducing valve in said pipe .system toJpermit the discharge of the liquid under reduced pressure, a connectionbecontrolling the escape of the fluid through said connection direct tothe Sprinklers, spring means normally tending to open said valve, meansacting against said spring to holdsaid valve closed, saidmeans-including ilo a diaphragm havingl pipe connection with' said pipesystem at the low pressure side thereof, and means in the pipe system toprevent back pressure against the reducing valve by the escaping highpressure liquid.

11. In fireextinguishing apparatus, a receptacle for liquid carbonioacid, a system of pipes vprovided---,With discharge openings permanentlyconnected to the-said receptacle at apoint'adjacent vto the bottom ofthe 12o same, a pressure reducing valve provided in this pipeconnection, a direct communication between said system of pipes and saidreceptacle, a valve normally closing the said direct communication, saidvalve having a spring tending to open it and a coupling connecting it tothe valve and having some play, and means operated by the pressure onthe low pressure side of the reducing valve and acting to release saidspring.

permanently connected to the said receptacleat a point adjacent to thebottom of the same, apressure reducing valve provided in v this pipeconnection, a direct communication between said systemof pipes and saidreceptaclea valve normally7 closing the said direct communication, saldvalve having a spring tending to open it, a latch normally locking saidspring, mea-ns operated by the pressure on the low pressure side of thereducing valve and acting to release said spring, and a non-return valveinserted be- 15 l tween said low pressure side and the discharge pipesystem so as to open only in the direction toward the latter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence 20 of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANS JOHAN-Humm RUSTIGE.

Witnesses BIRGER NoRDFELDfr, y A. SIMON.

